Device for opening and closing the apertures of kegs



(No Model.) I

W. DUNCAN.

DEVICE FOR OPENING AND CLOSING THE APERTURES OP KEGS, 6m.v No; 397,787. Patented Feb. 12, 1889.

I IIIIIH WITNEEEESZ a. 5 WMQ W W W UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICR \VILLIAM DUNCAN, OF EAST SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVICE FOR OPENING AND CLOSING THE APERTURES OF KEGS, &c.

SFECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 39'7,78'7, dated February 12, 1889. Application filed August 13, 1886. Rcnewed December 11 1888. Serial No. 293,327. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, XVILLIAM'DUNOAN, of East Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Opening and Closing the Apertures in Kegs, Casks, and Similar Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to those contrivances used in the orificessuch as those for bnngs and spigots-of kegs, easks, barrels, and the like for the purpose of opening and closing the same, to flll and empty the article, or confine the contents therein, and provide a vent for the interior of the cask.

It is the object of my invention to construct a device for the control of the orifices mentioned, which shall be at once simple in construction, comparatively cheap of manufacture, and be easily and effectively manipulated to effect the opening and closing of the bung and spigot, to confine the contents in the cask, or to fill the latter or admit its contents to the faucet to be drawn off.

To the foregoing ends my invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe, so that others skilled in the art may be able to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingapart of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, the invention being particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed at the end of the description of its construction and operation.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 represents a 1011- gitudinal vertical sectional view of a portion of a keg or cask through the bung, spigot, and a part of the faucet, showing my improvements. Fig.2 is a top plan view of the invention. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of theinvention, showing the faucet as applied thereto, a part of which is broken off, and the adjacent portions of the cask being represented as in section. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 1 1, Fig. 0. Fig. 6 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts.

In the drawings, a represents the bilge of the keg or cask, and b the head thereof.

lar vessels are concerned, they are the same 7 whether applied to bungs or spigots. Therefore a description of one will in the main suffice for the other.

9 represents a flanged bushing adapted to enter the bung-hole c. The flange of the bushing may rest upon the outer surface of the cask or be seated therein,

f indicates a plate adapted to rest upon the interior surface of the cask, which plate is provided with a neck or bushing, g, adapted to closely fit the bung-hole c. Said bushing g is interiorly screw threaded to receive therein the exteriorly-threaded bushing e, which latter bushing being screwed into the former draws the two firmly together again st the opposite sides of the cask and forms a complete bushing for the bung-hole.

The plate f is substantially of the form represented in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and full lines in Fig. 3, extending out to-and surround ing an aperture, h, made in the cask a little to one side of the bung c, at which point said plate f is provided with a hole coinciding with the aperture h, the latter being preferably provided eXteriorly with a flanged bushing, 11, as shown. Plate f is also, by preference, provided with a neck or bushing extending into the aperture h.

A pl.ate,j, similar in outline to plate f, and having a flange, k, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3,) extending partly around on its inner face near its margin, is secured to plate f by means of screws Z, or in any other suitable manner, by which construction a space orchamber is provided between the two plates f and j, adapted to receive a gate, am, having a neck extending out to the hole formed in the plate f opposite the aperture 72, where said neck is provided with a stem, or, closely fitting said hole and extending into the aperture h, where it is squared or otherwise formed to adapt it to receive a key, 0, or similar device, by which means the gate may be moved on its stem n as a pivot between the plates f Plates f and 7.; are, by preference, made of brass and hushed with Babbitt or other suitable metal, and gate on entirely of brass.

To adapt.a faucet to be secured to the invention when the latter is applied to the spigohl so construct the bushing e that the flange thereof will. extend out from the surface of the cask, which extended flange is cxternally screw-threaded to receive the inter- F nally screw-threaded rim 1), formed on a collar, q, fixed to the faucet r by means of a setscrcw, s, or by other suitable means, shown in Figs. 1 and 4. By this means the faucet may be attached to the spigot before the latter is opened to admit the contents of the cask to the latter, whereby all liability of wastage or of the operator l'iecoming bespatiered with the contents of the cask, as in the case of tappingbecr and the like in kegs and by devices as commonly constructed, entirely avoided.

The operation of my invention has been so clearly indicated in the description of its construction as to scarcely need any further explanation. It will be apparent that by applying the key to the squared end of the stud n the bung or spigot can be opened for the purpose of emptying or filling the cask with the utmost ease and facility, and that by the same means said bun g or spigot may be closed to confine the contents of the cask therein in an air and Water tight manner.

It may also be mentioned that, as there. is no necessi y spigot, as now commonly done, or otherwise subjecting said t'aucet to undue shockor strain, the same may be made quite as light and ornamental as the necessities of the case or fancy may dictate.

for driving the faucet into the If desired, suitable packing-rings or bushing may be inserted between the parts comprising the bushing, or between other parts, as at 1 between the rim 1') and outer surface of the flange of bushing (4;

Another feature of myinvcntitm is its simplicity of construction, by which the cost of its manufacture rendered comparatively slight, and the ease with which it maybe applied to casks, kegs, l arrels, or similar vessels.

It is obvious that the form and arrangement of some of the parts maybe. varied within the limits of mechanical skill without departing from the nature or spirit of the lllYtHlliOll.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- A keg or cask having an aperture formed therein, a bushing for said aperture, aplate on the interior of the cask provided with a neck extending into said aperture and connected with said bushing, an aperture formed in said cask to one side of said first-mentioned aperture, a gate pivoted in said plate and having its pivot extending into said second-mentioned aperture, whereby the gate may be operated, said flanged bushing being constructed to extend out from the outer surface of the keg or cask and provided cx teriorly with a screw-thread, and a faucet provided with an internally screw-threaded rim, 1), constructed to be screwed upon said ex.- teriorly screwthreaded bushing, all constructed, combined, and arranged substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this th day of August, 1896.

C. F. BROWN, ARTHUR W. CnossLEY. 

